Woman, her two children set record for hoisting Indian flag at the Arctic Circle

In a first, a woman along with her two children successfully made a record for completing a winter expedition in the Arctic Circle. 45-year-old Bharulata Patel Kamble accomplished this feat while undergoing treatment for cancer.

UK-based Bharulata’s children - 13-year-old Priyam and 10-year-old Aarush - also set the record for being the first Indian origin children to have hoisted the Indian tricolour in the Arctic Circle. Bharulata began her journey two months after she underwent a life changing cancer surgery. The brave woman drove with her kids without any backup crew or vehicle.

Bharulata visited Nordkapp earlier as well in 2016

The journey wasn’t easy as the trio faced many challenges on their way to the Arctic Circle. Driving over 10,000 kilometres in temperatures as low as -15 degrees Celcius in a region that only receives few hours of day light, Bharulata proved nothing is impossible.

BTS' group leader Kim Namjoon presented a six-minute speech which encouraged the youth to find their voice and their calling.

The trio travelled through, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Finland before heading to Nordkapp in Norway. They started for the Arctic Circle from the iconic Santa Claus village Rovaniemi in Finland.

Priyam and Aarush at the Artic Circle

Bharulata proved to be a very skilled driver as she maneuvered through difficult hilly roads with extreme weather conditions. On their way to the Arctic Circle, the snow and wind storm made their journey more challenging.

And all this for their love for India! Their aim was to hoist the Indian national flag at Nordkapp. Bharulata, along with her kids reached Nordkapp, but faced the Arctic windstorm, with the winds as fast as the speed of 20 meters per second. After waiting patiently for two days for the weather to settle, the trio hoisted the Indian flag and sang the national anthem.

Bharulata Patel Kamble along with her kids at the Artic Circle

This wasn’t the first time Bharulata visited Nordkapp. Earlier, she successfully drove solo through the Arctic Circle in 2016. She then travelled through 32 countries and covered a distance of 35,383 kilometres. She was also the first Indian woman to have hoisted the Indian flag in the Arctic Circle in 2016.

Bharulata's expedition was also about numerous social messages, from spreading awareness about cancer to promoting the Indian government’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign. This expedition was also probably the among the first such plastic-free expeditions.